Air-elimination device



March 14, 1967 J. G. MUELLER 3,303,607

AIR-ELIMINATION DEVICE Filed Jul 2, 1964 IIIIIIIIA'II lnvemor Johannes GMueller y fl g wjq United States Patent 01 3,308,607 AIR-ELIMINATIONDEVICE Johannes G. Mueller, Michigan City, 1nd,, assignor to Weil-McLainCompany, Inc., Michigan City, Ind, a corporation of Indiana Filed July2, 1964, Ser. No. 380,009 2 Claims. (Cl. 55-201) The present inventionrelates to an air-elimination device for water supply systems and, morespecifically, to a water header constructed to eliminate air from thewater in a forced hot water system.

One of the problems encountered in a closed hot water heating systemarises from the presence of air in the system. Such air may cause airnoises in the system, may form air pockets in the heating elements anddecrease their output and, furthermore, the oxygen content of the airmay react chemically with the inside of the piping system. Consequently,it is desirable to provide suitable air-elimination devices in suchhotwater heating systems.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvedair-elimination device adapted to be utilized in closed water supplysystems. More specifically, an object is to provide an improvedair-elimination device which has maximum efficiency and which can beused in connection with any type of boiler, including a tankless heaterboiler.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide animproved air-elimination device adapted for utilization in connectionwith a boiler having a vertical out let. Another object is to provide animproved air-elimi nation device adapted for utilization with a boilerhaving a horizontal outlet.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an improvedair-elimination device which requires little or no maintenance. Anothergeneral object is to provide such an air-elimination device which isinexpensive to manufacture, which is compact and which may readily beadded to existing water supply systems.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds, taken in conjunction with thedrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a watersupply header for trapping and bleeding off air in a water supplysystem;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a compression tank and means forbleeding off air from the supply header shown in FIG. 1 to thecompression tank;

FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away view of a second embodiment of a watersupply header for trapping and bleeding off air in a water supplysystem;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the water supply header shown inFIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a compression tank and means forbleeding off air from the supply header shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to thecompression tank.

While the invention has been described in connection with certainpreferred embodiments, it is to be under-- stood that the invention isnot to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, theinvention is intended to cover the various modifications and equivalentarrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims. For the purposes of this description, it will be assumed thatthe supply headers disclosed herein are to be used in connection withclosed forced hot water heating systems, whereas in actual practice,they may be used in any water supply system.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a supply header elbow is shown which isconstructed in accordance with the present invention and which isadapted to be connected 3,308,607 Patented Mar. 14, 1967 between thewater supply outlet piping at the top of a boiler and water supplypiping which extends to external heating elements' In its exemplaryform, the supply header elbow 10 includes a horizontal inlet wateropening 11, a vertical outlet water opening 12 and a horizontal outletwater opening 13. Consequently, the elbow It is more suitably adaptedfor use with a boiler having a horizontal outlet. The supply headerelbow also includes a flange portion 15, adjacent the inlet opening 11,which has a plurality of apertures 16 formed therein that allow forsecuring the supply header elbow to a corresponding flange provided inthe boiler water supply outlet piping. Additionally, the supply headerelbow includes a flange portion 17, adjacent the outlet opening 12, anda flange portion 19, adjacent the outlet opening 13. The flange 17 has aplurality of apertures 18 formed therein that allow for securing thesupply header elbow to a corresponding flange provided in the watersupply piping which extends to external heating elements, whereas theflange 19 is adapted for threadably receiving the water supply piping,which extends to external heating elements.

In accordance with the present invention, the supply header elbow 10 isconstructed with an air-trap pocket being provided therein which allowsfor trapping and bleeding 01f air from water passing therethrough. Morespecifically, the upper portion of the outer housing of the elbow,adjacent the inlet 11, and a baffle plate 20 cooperate to define an airpocket 21. As may be seen, the baffle plate 20 extends verticallydownward in facing relationship with the inlet opening 11 into the pathof water flow between the inlet opening 11 and the outlet openings 12and 13. The cross-sectional area of the supply header elbow 10 isgreater adjacent the air pocket 21 than it is adjacent the inlet opening11 due to the outer housing of the elbow being raised at this point sothat the water velocity decreases adjacent the air pocket and, thus, thewater pressure is reduced at this point. It is well known that air isreleased from the water in a supply system when the water is heated orwhen the water pressure is reduced. Consequently, any air present inwater flowing through the elbow 10 bubbles up through the water adjacentthe air pocket 21 and is trapped in the air pocket due to the reductionin pressure thereadjacent. The water, in turn, passes under the bafileplate 20 and passes out of the header elbow through openings 12 and 13to supply piping.

For the purpose of bleeding off air trapped in the air pocket 21, airoutlet ports 22 are provided in opposite sides of the elbow 10, adjacentthe top of the air pocket, the outlet ports 22 being adapted tothreadably receive air bleeding off piping. In the illustratedembodiment, the ports 22 are connected by means of piping illustrated inFIG. 2 to a compression tank 25 which is partially filled with water andpartially filled with air under pressure, Since the details ofcompression tanks are Well known to those skilled in the art, thedetails thereof will not be discussed. Suflice it to say that, when airis trapped in the air pocket 21 of the elbow 10, it passes out throughopenings 22 to the piping illustrated in FIG. 2 and passes therethroughto the compression tank 25 wherein it bubbles up through the water,water from the compression tank filling the gap left by the air as itflows to the compression tank.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, a second embodiment of a supply header 30 isshown which is also adapted to be connected between the water supplyoutlet piping at the top of a boiler and water supply piping whichextends to external heating elements. The supply header 30 has avertical inlet water opening 31, a vertical outlet water opening 32 anda horizontal outlet water opening 33, all

adapted for threadably receiving water supply piping. Thus, it will bereadily apparent that the supply header 3%? is more suitably adapted foruse in connection with a boiler having vertical outlet water supplypiping.

In accordance with the present invention, the supply header 30 is alsoconstructed with an air-trap pocket therein which allows for thetrapping and bleeding ofi of air from water passing therethrough. Forthis purpose, an inverted cup, or dome shaped handle 35 is provided inthe header 3%). As may be seen by reference to FIG. 4, the battle 35 issecured to opposite side walls of the supply header 3% and is positionedin facing relationship with the inlet opening 31 to form an air pocket34.

In keeping with the present invention, the cross-sectional area of thesupply header 30 is increased adjacent the inlet opening 31'at 36 sothat the water velocity is reduced at this point whereby the waterpressure is reduced. Additionally, the cross-sectional area of thesupply header is then reduced at 37 to a rectangular crosssection havinga cross-sectional area corresponding i.e. substantially equal to thecross-sectional area at the inlet opening 31 so that the water velocityis increased at this point to the velocity as it entered the inletopening 31. Subsequent to passing through the rectangular opening at 37,the water flowing through the supply header 30 flows at right angles tothe natural upward direction of air bubble movement (see FIG. 3) so thatthe water passes up around the baffle 35 and through the outlet openings32 and 33 to the supply piping. It follows that any air present in thewater flowing through the header 30 bubbles up through the Water intothe air pocket 34 formed by the bat-lie 35. In order to prevent theleakage of air to the system, the sides of the baffle 35 are formed tooverlap the rectangular opening 37 and the back side of the baflle 35 issecured to the side wall of the supply header 36 below the outletopening 33 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

For the purpose of bleeding off air trapped in the air pocket formed bythe bafile 35, an air outlet port 38 is provided in the side wall of thesupply header 30', adjacent the top of the air pocket 34, the outletport 38 being adapted to threadably receive desired air bleeding ofipiping. In the illustrated embodiment, the opening 38 is, in turn,connected by means of piping illustrated in FIG. to a compression tank40 which is partially filled with water and partially filled with airunder pressure. Again, since the details of compression tanks are wellknown to those skilled in the art, the details thereof will not bediscussed. Sufiice it to say that, when air is trapped in the air pocket34 formed by the bat-fie 35, it passes out through the opening 38 to thepiping illustrated in FIG. 5 and passes therethrough to the compressiontank 40 wherein it bubbles up through the water, water from thecompression tank filling the gap left by the air as it flows to thecompression tank.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that air-elimination deviceshave been provided which are adapted to be utilized in connection withboilers having vertical or horizontal outlet water supply passages andwhich are adapted to be utilized in systems requiring vertical orhorizontal How of the water supply subsequent to passing through theair-elimination devices. While the exemplary headers and 30 are eachdisclosed with a pair of outlet openings, it will be readily apparentthat in many conventional applications, one of the outlet openings willbe sealed-oft and only a single outlet opening will actually be used.However, wherever two outlet openings are desired, both outlet openingsare employed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a water header adapted to be connected between the outlet of aboiler or the like and a water supply system for external heatingelements together with a compression tank, the combination whichcomprises, an inlet opening adapted to be connected to said outlet, avertical outlet opening and a horizontal outlet opening adapted to beconnected to said external heating element supply system, thecross-sectional area adjacent said inlet opening being increased foreffecting a pressure reduction as water enters said header, meansincluding a vertically extending bafile disposed between the inletopening and the outlet openings in facing relationship with the inletopening, said ba-fi'le extending below the top of said inlet opening andinto the path of water flow through said in.- let opening, said baffieand increased cross-sectional area defining an air trap pocket betweenthe air trap opening and the bafile, at least one air outlet port formedin the header adjacent the top of the air trap pocket and adapted to beconnected to said compression tank so that air bled off and trapped inthe pocket may be directed to the compression tank prior to passage ofthe water past the baffle and said water thereafter being directed to atleast one of said external heating element supply outlet openings.

2. In a water header adapted to be connected between the outlet of aboiler or the like and a Water supply sys-' tem for external heatingelements, together with a compression tank, the combination whichcomprises, a pair of vertically spaced apart vertical inlet openingshaving substantially equal cross-sectional areas, the bottom one of saidopenings being adapted to be connected to said outlet, a portion ofincreased cross-sectional area between said openings, a vertical outletopening and a horizontal outlet opening adapted to be connected to saidexternal heating element supply system, a dome-shaped bafllle disposedabove said inlet openings and having a pair of side walls terminating atone of their corresponding ends in a first side wall portion of saidheader to define an air pocket above said inlet openings and also havingan end' wall curved downwardly in front of, and sealingly joined at itsbase to an opposite side wall portion of said header underneath saidhorizontal outlet opening, the base area of the bafile overlapping thecross-sectional area of the top one of said vertical inlet openings, andan air outlet port formed in the side Wall of the header adjacent thetop of the air pocket and adapted to be connected to said compressiontank so that air trapped in the pocket may be bled Oh to saidcompression tank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1955 Hencken etal -l99 9/1964 Tidd 55-2O1

1. IN A WATER HEADER ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED BETWEEN THE OUTLET OF ABOILER OR THE LIKE AND A WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR EXTERNAL HEATINGELEMENTS TOGETHER WITH A COMPRESSION TANK, THE COMBINATION WHICHCOMPRISES, AN INLET OPENING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO SAID OUTLET, AVERTICAL OUTLET OPENING AND A HORIZONTAL OUTLET OPENING ADAPTED TO BECONNECTED TO SAID EXTERNAL HEATING ELEMENT SUPPLY SYSTEM, THECROSS-SECTIONAL AREA ADJACENT SAID INLET OPENING BEING INCREASED FOREFFECTING A PRESSURE REDUCTION AS WATER ENTERS SAID HEADER, MEANSINCLUDING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING BAFFLE DISPOSED BETWEEN THE INLETOPENING AND THE OUTLET OPENINGS IN FACING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INLETOPENING, SAID BAFFLE EXTENDING BELOW THE TOP OF SAID INLET OPENING ANDINTO THE PATH OF WATER FLOW THROUGH SAID INLET OPENING, SAID BAFFLE ANDINCREASED CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA DEFINING AN AIR TRAP POCKET BETWEEN THEAIR TRAP OPENING AND THE BAFFLE, AT LEAST ONE AIR OUTLET PORT FORMED INTHE HEADER ADJACENT THE TOP OF THE AIR TRAP POCKET AND ADAPTED TO BECONNECTED TO SAID COMPRESSION TANK SO THAT AIR BLED OFF AND TRAPPED INTHE POCKET MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE COMPRESSION TANK PRIOR TO PASSAGE OFTHE WATER PAST THE BAFFLE AND SAID WATER THEREAFTER BEING DIRECTED TO ATLEAST ONE OF SAID EXTERNAL HEATING ELEMENT SUPPLY OUTLET OPENINGS.